


World So Cold

by AmalgamOfFaces



Category: Big Hero 6 (2014)
Genre: 16 y.o. Tadashi, Alive Tadashi, Cold Weather, I blame the weather, Phoenix - Freeform, Snowed In, The weather systems of San Francisco and Tokyo have been mashed together in this fic, WARNING! Mentions of Child Abuse, abuse of an OC, care and comfort fic, mutations, snake - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-23
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-03-14 19:01:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3422054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmalgamOfFaces/pseuds/AmalgamOfFaces
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kyouji hadn't intended on becoming part of the Hamadas' lives, but after a particularly bad storm in San Fransokyo, he found shelter when he'd least expected it. But they can't really be this nice, can they? Everyone wants something... And how will they address his mutation?</p>
<p>This fic takes place before the fire, where Hiro is in his last year of high school, but already hard at work at giving Tadashi grey hairs. Part of a 'what-if' spin-off of the Rise of the Phoenix plot line, where Kyouji's life takes a different turn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Cold Front

           A fourteen-year-old Kyouji shivered as the biting November wind ripped through his worn coat. He was glad he had found it out behind the department store, where it had been discarded due to one too many holes in the fabric. It was a lot better than he was used to, but it wasn't enough.  
  
          Wrapping his arms tightly around himself, he had to wonder what had triggered the backlash on this particular occasion. He hadn't done anything particularly abrasive lately. Hell, he was surprised his father had even noticed he was there long enough to throw him out.  
  
          He was losing feeling in his fingers, and was struggling to find some heater or vent that hadn't already been claimed by people who would ask... favors... in exchange for heat.  
  
          At that point he would have considered it, demeaning and dehumanizing as it was... but it wouldn't end well. His blood had a nasty habit of killing off or paralyzing those who got even the slightest bit in their bloodstream. This might have been okay if it was just one person, but the predators travelled in groups, and though he could accidentally kill someone in the blink of an eye, he could be easily injured, too.  
  
          Kyouji felt a shudder pass through him, though he didn't believe for a second that it was due entirely to the cold. At least in winter he had a reason to bundle up and could easily conceal the scales that jumped to his defense. However, he still got strange looks if he showed up to class and kept his less frayed jacket on. At least his worn clothes fit in with everyone else's.  
  
          School had been cancelled due to ice on the roads, and Kyouji thought it was stupid, since most of the students walked to school, anyway. Though the heating system wasn't the best, the warmth of too many bodies occupying the space of a small classroom would be much preferred to this.  
  
          A shiver wracked his frame, and Kyouji struggled to stay upright when the drowsiness began to clamp onto his mind.  
  
_Sleeping in the cold is bad. Anything cold is bad. Cold... bad..._  
  
_Was it supposed to take this much energy to breathe?_  
  
          Kyouji saw a single light approaching, and was confused. _Didn't cars have two lights?_ He didn't even consider moving out of the way, not that he had the energy to, anyway. Luckily, it pulled to a stop before it hit him. The rider looked semi-frantic.  
  
          "Hey, have you see-" Brown eyes finally took in what was standing in front of him. "Oh, my God."  
  
          The rider quickly leaned the bike down, flicking down the kickstand in what looked like pure habit.  
  
_That was dumb, doesn't he know how easily someone could steal-_  
  
          Kyouji's thoughts were interrupted when the stranger approached him and _put his hands on his face._  
  
          Kyouji flinched back, because one: _it felt like those hands were on **fire**_ , and two: _no, don't touch. Touch is bad. I'll hurt you._ ~~ _you'll hurt me_~~ __ ~~.~~  
  
          The stranger swore quietly in a language Kyouji almost recognized at the temperature difference between his hands and the face _that he was still holding... Burning..._  
  
          "Hey, can you hear me? Can you understand me?"  
  
_Why would he ask that?_  
  
          Kyouji nodded anyway, his head feeling suddenly very heavy. The hands that were still holding his head up were feeling less like fire, but the trade was the rest of his body was getting colder, less numb.  
  
          "Okay." One hand moved to his upper back, where Kyouji could barely feel the warmth through his coat, and the other was removed. Kyouji shivered when the cold air hit his face again, though he could better feel the warmth emanating from the stranger. "We're going to get you somewhere warm, alright?"  
  
          Kyouji tried to tell him he'd already tried that, but his tongue was heavy in his mouth, and it was _far too exhausting_. He just nodded instead. The stranger led him over to the bike, while doing something with his phone with his free hand.  
  
          "That little..." A sigh of frustration escaped the stranger, and he shoved the phone back in his pocket, turning his attention back to Kyouji.  
  
          He pulled the bike back up to a standing position, tucking away the kickstand with his foot, and climbed on, placing Kyouji in front of him when it quickly became clear he wouldn't be able to hold on in his frozen state.  
  
          Kyouji unconsciously leaned back against the warmth behind him, feeling his eyes slipping shut. _Warm is good. Sleep when warm._  
  
          "Hey, stay with me, buddy. You aren't out of the woods yet."  
  
_What woods? There aren't even any trees..._  
  
          But if the warm stranger wanted him to stay awake, Kyouji would. _Everyone wants something. At least this was easy to fulfill._  
  
          When the bike was moving, the wind whipped against his face, but Kyouji barely registered it.  
  
_Where are we going?_  
  
          Kyouji tried to voice this question, but couldn't make much noise over the wind, and any noise he managed to create was gently hushed.  
  
          "Hang on, we're almost there."  
  
          The stranger pulled up beside a tall, nice-looking building and Kyouji was certain the stranger had made a mistake. _I don't belong somewhere like this. He must have gotten lost._  
  
          He didn't have the energy to protest, though, when the stranger helped him off of the bike and towards the door, fishing in his pockets for keys. _He'll figure it out, soon enough._  
  
          Stepping through the front door felt like stepping into an oven, and Kyouji recoiled sharply, though he continued to be gently led forward. He wondered for a moment if that was the plan. _Is he going to cook me?_  
  
          "Aunt Cass?" The stranger called out as he began to lead Kyouji up a flight of stairs.  
  
          "Tadashi? Did you get Hiro's text? He made it ba-" A woman spotted the two of them. "Oh, what happened?"  
  
          She rushed forward, and Kyouji instinctively shrank backwards, though she stopped short of colliding with him.  
  
          "He's got mild to moderate hypothermia, and he was just walking around, not going anywhere."  
  
_I was going somewhere. I was going to find warmth._  
  
          The warmth of the room added to his drowsiness, and Kyouji wondered if he was allowed to sleep.  
  
          "I've got some soup on the stove, and I always make extra. Go ahead and sit him down in the dining area, and check his feet and hands."  
  
_...what?_  
  
          The stranger... _Tadashi_... nodded, and led him over to a chair before taking his hands and pushing back his sleeves, inspecting the tips of his fingers.  
  
          They were pale, almost white, and Kyouji could feel them tingling as the temperature of the room was absorbed into them. Tadashi nodded, before crouching down and unlacing his shoes, which were about to fall apart as it was.  
  
_He's just doing what the lady told him to..._  
  
          His toes were in a similar condition to his fingers, though they were distinctly whiter. Nodding again, Tadashi made his way into a side room and returned with a pair of socks. He quickly slipped them on Kyouji's feet, before leading him over to the sink so they could wash their hands under the warm water.  
  
          Kyouji could have stood there with his hands under the warm flow of water for hours, but retracted them after the soap was rinsed off. _'That's wasteful. Why would good, warm water be used on you?'_  
  
          Kyouji hadn't even noticed when he had returned to the table, though it felt like his brain was beginning to thaw, and no longer sat so heavily in his skull. He distantly noticed that he was still shivering, but it wasn't as tiring anymore.  
  
          His mind had apparently decided that since he wasn't in danger of becoming an ice sculpture, it was a prime time to remind him he hadn't eaten in...  
  
_When did I last eat?_  
  
          The smell of food only worsened the deep-seated ache in his gut, and he wondered if they would make him leave if he asked for some.  
  
_People don't like it when you ask for more than they offer._  
  
          Two bowls were set on the table, one in front of Tadashi, and one in front of... _him_?  
  
_Am I in her spot? Am I supposed to move?_  
  
          "Alright, eat up, you two."  
  
          The lady made her way back to the stove, ladling out another bowl for herself.  
  
_...that's not how this works... What do they want from me?_  
  
          The tightness in his stomach made up his mind for him, and he reached for the bowl. He struggled to pace himself and take small bites. He knew what would happen if he ate too quickly, though it was difficult when each spoonful brought a small flare of warmth to his insides. His shivering diminished to an easily manageable quivering, and he was soon setting his spoon in his empty bowl.  
  
          He felt the gentle pull of fullness on his stomach, and that, in addition to the warmth of the room, left Kyouji struggling to keep his eyes open.  
  
          Tadashi excused himself to wash the dishes, and the kind lady turned to Kyouji.  
  
          "Hey, honey. I'm Cass, you can call me Cass, Ms. Cass, Aunt Cass, whatever." She smiled, and Kyouji was surprised to discover he didn't feel the fear that usually accompanied people being _'nice'_. "Would you tell me your name?"  
  
          "...Kyouji." He suddenly realized he was being rude. "Um, t-thank you for the food."  
  
          "Oh, you're very welcome Kyouji. Did I say that right?"  
  
          He nodded, and she smiled again. "Do you have somewhere we can take you back to? I'm sure someone's worried about you."  
  
          Kyouji bit his bottom lip, contemplating what he could tell her. He decided the truth, or at least some of it, would be appropriate. He shook his head, and felt the slow headache of exhaustion creeping in.  
  
          "Not yet." He saw slight confusion on her face, and decided to elaborate. "He'll forget in a week or so. Then I can go back. You don't need to worry."  
  
          Kyouji ducked his head slightly as he stood, missing her concerned expression as he made his way to the door.  
  
_Just because they can't take me back, doesn't mean they can't be rid of me._  
  
          Tadashi was suddenly in front of him. "I can't in good conscience let you go anywhere. Not with the weather like this, and not in the state you're in. At best, you'll get sick. At worst..."  
  
          Kyouji instinctively sized him up. The guy in front of him was one, maybe two years older, and only a little taller. He didn't know how much fighting experience he had, but he thought at full strength he could probably hold his own. As it was... at this point a child could take him down, so long as his blood didn't get involved.  
  
_And besides, Kyouji realized with a jolt, all he's been is nice, so why even contemplate fighting him?_  
  
          Sure, you had to watch yourself on the street, but the general populace usually accepted 'no' for an answer.  
  
_Do I even want to say no?_  
          ...is he still lecturing?  
  
          "-and it's started to rain, so there's going to be ice everywhere, even if you can somehow avoid getting wet. You'll likely just become coated in ice, which _will kill you_ , so if I have to duct tape you to the couch to get you to stay, I will."  
  
_It's raining?_ Kyouji glanced out the kitchen window, and sure enough, it was coming down in sheets. Kyouji shivered. _I would be out there right now if not for him._  
  
          "I-I'll stay."  
  
          Tadashi visibly relaxed, and during the time they had been standing there, Ms. Cass had gone and gotten some sheets and was already laying them out on the couch in their living area.  
  
          She smiled over at him. "You can sleep here for tonight."  
  
          Kyouji didn't know how to respond. _What were they after? What was the catch? This doesn't... This never..._  
  
          He made his way over to the couch, his head ducked so that his hair covered his eyes. He went to remove his outer coat, when the movement caused him to wince, and then freeze.  
  
_He didn't grab me **that** hard, did he?_  
  
          He hadn't moved fast enough when his dad had ordered him out of the house, since he usually was given a bit of time to pull on clothes and grab money (when he had any). This time had been too sudden, and when his father had grabbed him and thrown him bodily out the door, he had been more focused on the cold that had ripped through his thin jacket and the sound of the deadbolt being drawn to notice the pain and itching sensation that had spread across the expanse of skin where his neck met his shoulder.  
  
          Kyouji heard a small gasp and all of his muscles pulled tight in fear, and he looked up to see Ms. Cass with a single hand over her mouth. He started to shake as his mind raced.  
  
_This is bad. **He** doesn't like them; **he** said never to let anyone see. They'll kill me... Or maybe they'll be merciful and just throw me out into the cold like **he** did. _  
  
          His shaking intensified as he backed himself towards a wall. _I'll still die, anyway._  
  
          "No, no, it's okay, honey." Ms. Cass approached him slowly, with both hands raised, in a way that reminded him of how one would approach a frightened and injured animal.  
  
_But that's what I am..._ Kyouji flinched when his back actually hit the wall, and he instinctively tried to make himself seem smaller.  
  
          "Tadashi, why didn't you tell me he was injured?" She seemed... _concerned_.            
  
           When she got to him, she carefully inspected the scaled area, or rather, she seemed focused on the inflamed area of skin that surrounded it. Thankfully, she didn't try to touch it.  
  
          "What do you mean?" Tadashi came into view again, before wincing in sympathy. "I'll warm up a corn sack."  
  
_What's going on?_ Kyouji watched Tadashi take a small, fabric bag of something and stick it in the microwave. _Why aren't they..._  
  
          "Kyouji? Kyouji, sweetie, calm down."  
  
          It was only then that Kyouji realized he was starting to feel dizzy, and that he had begun to hyperventilate. He struggled to even out his breathing.  
  
          "Has this happened before?" She gestured at the scales. "Is this what normally happens?"  
  
**_Normal?_** _None of this was normal. Unless freakish was normal for a freak._  
  
          Kyouji nodded anyway, knowing what she meant. "-but only when I'm hurt... i-it'll go away eventually." If he downplayed it a little, _maybe she wouldn't... maybe I could still..._  
  
          Her eyes softened, and she looked... _sad_. "Come here." She gently led him to the couch, sitting down with him as Tadashi returned with the small sack.  
  
          He held it out towards Kyouji. "I'm just going to place this where the injury is. Tell me if it is too warm."  
  
          Kyouji tensed, bracing himself for pain, but Tadashi placed it carefully, and the temperature was such that warmth seeped into the places the sack touched, basically forcing the muscles to relax.  
  
          "Okay, just hold it there." Tadashi let go as Kyouji lifted his hand to do so. "It shouldn't grow cold anytime soon, but we can always nuke it in the microwave again."  
  
          Kyouji found himself shaking for an entirely new reason.  
  
          "Why- why are you-"  
_so nice?_  
          "-why aren't you-"  
_hurting me?_  
  
          But Kyouji couldn't finish either of his questions, and he bit his bottom lip as his eyes began to burn.  
  
          "It's okay, honey." Ms. Cass gently pulled him into a hug, and ran her fingers through his hair. "It's going to be okay..."  
  
          Exhaustion hit him as the fear-induced adrenalin dissipated, and Kyouji let his eyes finally slip shut as fingers continued to weave themselves through his hair.


	2. A Morning With the Hamadas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up in a strange place is unsettling enough, but not being able to leave is worse. What's up with this family, and what do they want?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to continue this, but it likely won't be much more than 10 chapters when all is said and done.

In the beginning, there was no warning. No sound. No reason to run other than the growing, gnawing, heart freezing premonition that something was after him.

Kyouji’s surroundings were a blur, and street signs were indistinguishable, but somehow no matter which street he turned down, he ended up on the same stretch of pavement, looking at the same row of worn-down houses.

He was going in circles, but he couldn’t stop running.

The streets were deserted, and the only light came from a solitary streetlamp that he inexplicably knew kids threw rocks at to try and break the bulb. The path was slick with ice, but he had yet to fall. His tattered shoes gripped the ground with every step and stuck if he paused for even a moment.

The world shifted, and each time he reached the end of a street, a creature would be turning the corner onto it, tendrils of ice spreading out wherever it touched. White mist obscured the form when Kyouji glanced back, but it was so familiar that he could almost place it.

_Monster_

Its voice rang out from nowhere and everywhere.

Fear seized Kyouji’s lungs, and his breathing became labored, forcing him to duck behind the side of a house to catch his breath. Even without seeing it, he could sense the being coming down the street; he didn’t have much time.

_Freak_

He still hadn’t caught his breath, but he had to move. It was getting too close.

Kyouji’s heart dropped into his stomach when, upon trying to move, he found that his feet were firmly stuck. A solid layer of ice had crawled up over his shoes and was almost to his knees, and no matter how he tugged, he was held fast.

And the ice was still spreading.

_You destroyed everything._

A familiar itch at the base of his neck spread outward, up over his jaw and down his arms as scales rapidly appeared in an attempt to protect him. They wouldn’t do any good, but he could do nothing to stop their spread as panic made his heart beat in double-time and caused his limbs to seize and refuse to move.

_You deserve **nothing**_ **.**

“Stop.” His voice wavered, and changed nothing.

The ice had pushed its way up past Kyouji’s waist when the sound of slow, measured footsteps became audible.

Panic’s hold on his limbs released, and he began to struggle against the ice in earnest again. He could see the mist around the corner of the building.

_You owe me **everything**_ **.**

Kyouji brought a scaled fist down on the ice coating the side of his leg, striking again when a small crack formed, dropping small crystals with each blow. Just as he got his leg loose, a freezing hand gripped his shoulder and shoved. He fell-

_The world would be better off without you._

-and kept falling. 

* * *

 

Kyouji jerked awake, sitting up quickly to... to do what? Shaking from the adrenalin rush and barely repressed panic, Kyouji bunched the fabric of the blanket covering him in his fists.

Something wasn’t right.

The blanket was soft.

_Where-?_

As he looked around the dim room, memories from the night before slowly pieced together in his mind. Shifting so that his legs rested over the side of the couch, Kyouji ran a hand over his neck and jaw, relieved when he met skin. It was rare that a dream affect him enough to cause the scales to appear in the waking world, but it had happened before, and could happen again.

Kyouji buried his face in his hands, willing the shaking to stop as he fought off the residual fear that coursed through his veins.

            _It was just a dream._

Standing, and being careful not to run into anything in the dark, he made his way over to the window, opening the blinds to let the early morning light come in. He looked out at the sleet coming down onto frozen roads and was momentarily distracted by the frost pattern at the corner of the window. He closed the blinds again when he realized they might not want them open, returning the room to relative darkness.

Kyouji knew he should probably head out before the others woke, and since there was no telling what the weather was going to do, he’d need to find a place to bunk down before the bearable sleet turned back into rain. He hesitated at the idea of leaving this safe haven, brushing his bangs out of his face as he entertained the thought of staying just a bit longer.

Eventually he shook his head. He couldn’t stay forever, and he didn’t want to wait until they kicked him out. The only thing that would be worse is if they wanted him gone, but were too nice to ask him to leave. These people were probably that nice, from what he’d seen, and a little too trusting. He’d rather depart on his own terms.

When his eyes readjusted to the light, he cast his gaze over the room, looking for where he’d left the coat. Not seeing it, he checked under the blanket and then behind the couch. He couldn’t find it.

            _This doesn’t make sense._

Kyouji didn’t want to leave until he’d found his coat, but he didn’t know where (or if he was allowed) to look. Being caught searching through things would certainly be misinterpreted, and it wasn’t as if he’d never stolen before, but...

Kyouji sighed, plopping back down on the couch. He began to kick his feet back and forth in front of him, careful to not actually hit the couch to avoid making noise or messing up their furniture. It wouldn’t do to repay them for their kindness with harm... if he could help it. He’d be out of their hair and hopefully out of their debt, if he could just find his coat and vanish.

After a moment of sitting there, he stood again, making his way towards the stairs that would lead him outside again. He’d travelled in worse weather with less, and with his stomach recently filled, the journey wouldn’t be too bad. He wasn’t sure where in San Fransokyo he was, _should have paid more attention on the way here_ , but he’d be able to find his way back.

Kyouji paused at the top of the staircase.

            _Most likely._

“Hey.”

Kyouji nearly jumped out of his skin when an unfamiliar voice spoke from behind him. Turning quickly, he spotted a boy who didn’t look much younger than himself rubbing his eye at the top of the second flight of stairs. Yawning as he descended the stairs, he looked completely unbothered by the presence of a stranger in his house, choosing to pay attention to an odd black doll in his hand.

“Tadashi said we had a guest. You sure get up early.” He made his way towards the kitchen, passing by Kyouji as if it were an everyday occurrence. Kyouji noticed the ‘doll’ was angular and made of some kind of plastic or metal.

            _Probably an action figure, then. Isn’t he a bit old to play with one of those?_

The young teen climbed up on the counter to reach the cupboard handles. “Cereal?”

Kyouji raised an eyebrow at him, not sure what he was asking.

“Oh, right. I’m Hiro.” Hiro placed a colorful box on the counter next to the black action-doll-thing, continuing to rummage around in the cupboards. “Just woke up. Brain still loading. And your name is...”

“Kyouji.”

Hiro grabbed the bowls and hopped down from the counter. “Kyouji! That was it. Tadashi said, but I was busy, so I wasn’t listening. Not fully anyway.”

Hiro shrugged, pouring himself a bowl. “So didja want cereal, or were you going to wait to see if we could get Tadashi to make something? I’d make something better, but I can’t cook for shit.” Hiro paused. “Don’t tell him I said that. I’ve already lost too much to his dam-dang swear jar.”

Kyouji nodded, since Hiro was clearly waiting for a positive answer, though he was still confused.

            _What’s a swear jar?_

“Anyway, I’m hungry now, and if you want, I can pour you a small bowl too, and then we can both get something decent from Tadashi later. He’s pretty good at cooking if he’s done it enough times.” Hiro pointed a spoon at Kyouji. “But beware if he tries something new, he never gets it right the first time.”

“O-kay?”

Hiro nodded, pouring another bowl and passing it to Kyouji, before heading to the fridge.

“You want milk in it?” Hiro struggled to lift the full carton, setting it on the counter with a thud.

Kyouji shook his head, accepting a spoon and taking small bites of the cereal. His stomach quickly filled, but he wasn’t about to throw away food. He decided he’d have to find a way to get out of eating more anytime soon without offending someone, if what Hiro said was true. It was... a nice problem to have, if there was such a thing. It was better than thinking about how he’d leave and what he would have to do after.

The conversation, or rather, Hiro’s one-sided rambling, lulled while both of the boys were eating. Hiro was focused on the item he’d brought down, only taking a few bites of his cereal as he fiddled with the black shapes as if he were trying to get two puzzle pieces that didn’t belong together to fit.

Eventually Hiro tossed it onto the table with a dull thud, startling Kyouji.

“Stupid robot.” Hiro glared at it for a moment, as if it had done him wrong, before picking it back up again and looking it over more closely.

_Robot?_

Hiro began to detail the various components that had possibly gone wrong and what would be required to fix it, speaking more for his own benefit than anyone else’s. He seemed content to continue without feedback, which was good, since nothing that he said made any sense to Kyouji. Something about magnets was all he could understand.

The quiet drum of footsteps on the stairs started and was cut short, and the sounds of a hushed conversation started just out of the discernable hearing range. Kyouji could make out a male and a female voice, but beyond that, the whispers were meaningless. It made him a bit wary.

_Why are they being so quiet?_

Hiro had fallen silent, looking towards the stairs curiously, clearly straining to hear what was being said. If he could hear any more than Kyouji, he didn’t mention it, and moments later Tadashi walked into the kitchen area.

“Oh, you’re up. I hope Hiro didn’t wake you.” Tadashi smiled, ruffling Hiro’s hair on the way to the fridge. Hiro made a squawk of protest at the action, attempting to flatten his hair: a lost cause if there ever was one. “No bots at the table.”

Hiro pouted, tucking the black robot into his jacket pocket and slouching against the back of his chair. “I was quiet like you asked. He was already awake.”

Tadashi hummed in acknowledgement. “I know Hiro’s a bottomless pit, but are you still hungry?” He had paused his rummaging through the fridge to glance over.

Kyouji shook his head. If anything, he was going to be sick if he ate much more, and he had a feeling that that wouldn’t go over very well.

“You don’t talk much,” Hiro pointed out.

“Hiro.” Tadashi’s warning tone set Kyouji on edge, even though he wasn’t on the receiving end of it. He started to fiddle with the spoon in his hand, passing it over and between his fingers.

“Well, he doesn’t,” Hiro muttered. “He’s barely said a word.”

“Did you give him a chance to?” Tadashi cracked an egg on the edge of the mixing bowl, smirking at Hiro’s sudden silence.

_Wait, I have to say something now?_

Kyouji stared at table; the only thing he could think to say might be rude, but he wanted to know.

“Where’s my coat?” The only thing that would make sense is if they had moved it somewhere, and he liked to at least know where his things were... even if they were in the trash where they probably belonged.

“Are you cold?” Tadashi placed a pan on the stove, and poured the mixture onto it. “Your coat’s still in the dryer, but we can find you a blanket or something for now, if you want it.”

“No, I’m fine.” Kyouji picked at the sleeve of his lighter jacket that he still had on, wondering where the dryer was, and what would have merited its use. The coat couldn’t have been _that_ damp. Most of the ice that it had gathered on it out behind the department store had blown off on the ride over, long before it had had a chance to melt.

“If you’re sure.” Tadashi flipped the batter in the pan, and in a few minutes had a serving plate full of pancakes. He pulled a stack of plates down from the cupboards, setting them on the table before grabbing himself a couple of pancakes.

It wasn’t a moment too soon either, as Hiro grabbed five or six and drowned them in syrup before shoveling enormous bites into his mouth. The speed at which the food disappeared made Kyouji feel a bit nauseous by association.

_How does that all fit in his stomach? Didn’t he just eat?_

“If you want any, you should probably grab ‘em now, before he goes for seconds.”

**_Seconds?_ **

Kyouji shook his head, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms over his chest. The pancakes smelled really good, but the tightness that lingered in his stomach told him it would be a terrible idea to eat any more.

It felt a bit strange to just sit there while the brothers ate, but the alternative was going and sitting on the couch, which would only be stranger. Thankfully, Tadashi’s presence made the conversation flow easier, and even though he barely spoke, Kyouji didn’t feel cut out of it.

“Well, Hiro, I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that schools are still cancelled today.” Tadashi carried his dishes to the kitchen, setting them by the sink before returning to the table. “Even the machines to clear the streets have been iced in.”

Hiro swallowed the choking hazard sized bite of his _second_ plate of pancakes before celebrating. “Yes!”

Tadashi grinned at his brother’s exuberance. “There’s supposed to be more freezing rain later today, so it’ll probably be a couple days at least before things clear up.”

_Well, that’s for the best. I don’t have any of my things with me, I have no idea where I am, and I’ve missed enough school as it is._

There were times when he’d take a blow to the face, usually from a wall or a rough landing, and there would be nothing he could do to hide the scales, since full-face masks were frowned upon in school. He had to spend the following week or so, depending on how visible they became, waiting for them to shed, hiding away in his room if he was allowed to stay, or wherever he could find if he wasn’t.

“So, where do you go to school?” Hiro had finally finished eating, and his relative silence was over.

“Central,” Kyouji responded.

A surprised expression came over Hiro’s face, and Tadashi shot Hiro a look like he was trying to stop Hiro from speaking, but he went ignored.

“You’re still in _Middle School_?”

“Aren’t you?” There was no way this kid was older than him, but if he was around the same age, it was _possible_ that he could have moved on already.

“Nope!” Hiro sounded very proud of the fact. “Actually, after this year, I’m done.”

“Done?”

_With school? How on earth?_

Hiro nodded, grinning widely. “I skipped a lot of grades, so now I’m in the same class as Tadashi.”

“So, you too, then.” Kyouji looked over at the older brother, who smiled sheepishly.

“Yeah, I got a head-start and I’m graduating early, so...” Tadashi shrugged.

Kyouji nodded, guessing that made sense.

_These guys must be crazy smart, then._

“How old are you, anyway?” Kyouji wondered aloud, realizing a bit late that the words hadn’t stayed in his head.

“I’m thirteen. He’s sixteen.” Hiro pulled his robot out of his pocket and began to fiddle with it again. “What about you?”

_“_ Fif-“ _Wait..._ “What day is it?”

Hiro gave him a strange look, so Tadashi answered instead. “Wednesday, the eighteenth of November. It’s kind of early for this ice, which is probably why none of the streets were prepared.”

_Oh. Well, that explained a lot._

It wasn’t like Kyouji had a calendar lying around, and it had been a long time since school had stopped being anything more than a blur of days to attend with a couple weekends thrown in. He’d thought it was later in the year and it had already passed, what with all the ice.

“I’m fourteen, almost fifteen.”

Tadashi’s eyebrows creased in thought, but it apparently Hiro wasn’t done shoving his foot in his mouth.

“So, why aren’t you in high school?”

“Got held back.”

            _And **that** didn’t sting..._

“Why-“ Hiro winced before glaring at his brother. “That was my leg, you nerd!”

Kyouji frowned at their curious behavior, but answered anyway. “Missed too many days one year. I couldn’t make them up.”

“You get sick a lot?” Hiro didn’t seem to be paying attention, focused more on his robot than the death glare his brother was giving him. Kyouji felt a little concerned for him, but he wasn’t sure what Hiro was doing wrong.

“No.”

_Never, unless it’s food poisoning. Which sucks._

Kyouji startled when he felt something brush against his leg, relaxing when he heard the contented purr of a cat. Glancing down, he was surprised by the _size_ of the thing.

            _That has to be the fattest cat I have ever seen._

Hiro hopped down from his chair, scooping the cat up into his arms. “Too bad Mochi, no table scraps for lazy cats.”

Mochi meowed, glancing over at Kyouji, starting a staring contest Kyouji felt strangely compelled to win.

“You can pet him, you know.” Hiro stepped within arms reach, bringing Mochi close enough. “He might scratch, but he won’t bite.”

Kyouji hesitated. “No, thanks. Best not.”

“You allergic?” Hiro ran his fingers behind Mochi’s ears, prompting deep purring.

He shook his head.

            _Just not worth the risk._

“Whatever.” Hiro made his way towards the stairs.

Tadashi made an annoyed sound at the back of his throat. “Clear your dishes, Hiro.”

“ _Fine._ ” Hiro all but dropped his plate in the dishwasher, silverware following close behind, before finally disappearing upstairs.

Sighing as he stretched, Tadashi removed his own dishes, leaning against the counter and rubbing the back of his neck as Kyouji placed his own bowl in carefully.

“From the looks of the streets, you’ll probably need to stay here a while.”

When Kyouji opened his mouth to protest, Tadashi held up a finger, indicating not to interrupt, and Kyouji shut his jaw with a click.

“We’ve got a spare toothbrush floating somewhere around here, and you’ll need another set of clothes to change into while yours are washed. Neither of us have clothes that would fit you exactly, but you’re closer to Hiro’s size, so I’ll see if he has something that fits, and we can try to mix and match.”

Kyouji looked at him like he’d sprouted wings, and his confusion didn’t lessen as Tadashi continued.

“Once we’ve found something that works, I can start looking for that toothbrush, and there’s a shower down here for you to use in the meantime.”

Kyouji nodded, knowing it wasn’t a suggestion. He did his best not to let his distaste show on his face as he followed Tadashi up the stairs.

_But I just got warm..._

* * *

 

Kyouji set the stack of clothes on the counter by the sink, locking the door behind him and steeling himself for what was to come. During the summer, showering could be enjoyable, but in the winter, it was borderline painful, especially if the pipes had been chilled by permafrost.

He couldn’t contain his flinch when the icy water hit him, and he clenched his teeth, determined to keep the shower short. The odd sensation of cold water against his scales alerted him to the various marks across his body that had yet to shed. They were hidden easily enough, to the point that even he sometimes forgot they were there. Mistakes happened when he let himself forget.

He was becoming too careless, Kyouji realized, remembering the near disaster from the night before. He still didn’t understand their reactions, or rather, lack of them. They’d been more focused on the injury itself, which didn’t add up. Injuries were common enough, but as far as Kyouji knew, scales on a human, if he could even consider himself one, were not.

Shivering as he dried off, wondering why everything in this house was so soft, Kyouji tried to ignore the strange feeling of wearing someone else’s clothes. Considering his current selection back at the house, used clothing wasn’t the oddity; it was knowing that he’d see the person who owned them. Even his jacket had been taken to wash, and while the one he slipped on was much thicker, it felt strange.

Shoving his hands in the pockets to try and regain lost warmth, Kyouji made his way back to the brothers’ shared bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wee little note for those who have a different school system. Middle School holds grades 6-8, where the age range is usually 11-14 for the students that attend. Since Kyouji is 14 (nearly 15) near the beginning of the school year, he’s on the upper end age-wise for his class. Plus, since both Hiro and his brother are in their last years of high school, it seems odd to Hiro that someone between their ages wouldn’t have even reached high school yet.


	3. In Development

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This, was planned to come out earlier than it did... life and my other stories happened. Well I'm about to go finish the next chapter of Rise of the Phoenix, so here, have this.

         Tadashi deposited the clothing in the laundry room, and was making his way towards the stairs when Aunt Cass stepped out of the adjoining café area and motioned for him to join her, two steaming coffee cups in her hands.

         The café was empty, the chairs turned up onto the tables and various displays in different stages of being cleared out. With the weather progressing as it was, there wouldn’t be any business to handle for a while. The unique climate of San Fransokyo had trapped the residents indoors, and anyone who could had settled down in their homes to wait out the storm. No one was willing to risk their safety for a cup of coffee.

         Beyond the counters and rows of tables, the only lights in the place warmed the wooden stage area with an amber glow, where Aunt Cass had pulled up a couple of the beanbags for them to sit in. Mochi was already curled up in one, lazing in the orange fabric. Aunt Cass passed Tadashi his drink before scooping the calico into her lap as she sat, soothing the disturbed cat with pettings.

         Tadashi remained standing, staring at his drink and feeling the heat of the cocoa bleeding through the clay sides of the cup. Warmth had always relaxed him, and even with the internal heating system going full blast, he still managed to feel the chill of the outside weather. It had been bad enough when he’d been out on a wild goose chase to find Hiro, and the cold hadn’t left his bones yet.

         “Go on, take a seat.” Cass chuckled, having caught her nephew lost in thought. “Looks like the café won’t be open for a couple of days,” she pointed out, nodding towards the wintry mix that swirled just outside the glass door and windows. The snow had begun to pile significantly at the foot of the door, and the iced-over street was slowly filling with the white powder.

         “It’s too early for something like this. I don’t remember it ever getting this bad last year.” Tadashi frowned, eyes fixed on the falling sleet.

         Aunt Cass shrugged. “Last year was mild, and we got spoiled. Thankfully, we’re stocked up on everything, so we don’t have to leave for supplies anytime soon.” She smiled, looking over at her nephew. “So, how was our guest this morning? I saw you boys talking, but I had to come down and start putting things away. Besides, I didn’t want to interrupt.”

         “Besides the fact that Mochi almost gave him a heart attack-“ Tadashi was interrupted by a particularly loud meow, and playfully glared at the cat, “Yes, you—... he seemed to be moving a lot easier this morning. I’d guess it doesn’t hurt anymore, or he’s...” He hesitated, wincing at his words, “...gotten used to it.”

         Tadashi cleared his throat before continuing. “He didn’t eat very much, unless he was on his second bowl when I came in. I can’t tell if it’s that he’s full or if he just...” He shrugged helplessly.

         Smiling in understanding, Aunt Cass worked to reassure him. “Don’t worry about it for now, he’ll get plenty of chances to eat while he’s here.”

         “If Hiro doesn’t scare him off.” Tadashi sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I know he doesn’t mean any harm, but sometimes he has no tact. Kyouji’s already tried to leave twice that I know about. Though I guess I wouldn’t want to impose on a bunch of strangers, either, I would hope we would be better than...” He trailed off, gesturing vaguely towards the winter land outside.

         She nodded. “Weather non-restricting, I’m not sure if letting him leave would be a good idea... perhaps... “ Cass sighed, shaking her head and running her free hand through Mochi’s fur. “It would be one thing if he had somewhere to go, but with how he was talking- with what we saw... even taking him down to the police station might not be a good idea.”

         "Yeah, um..." Tadashi hesitated. "What _was_ that? I-I mean, it was definitely hurting him, and that’s what was important at the moment, but... do you know...?" He sighed. "I'm not saying this right..."

         “No, I understand.” She chuckled softly. “From what I could see, from what he told me, the... “Aunt Cass paused momentarily. “Oh, for God’s sake, let’s just call them what they are. The scales weren’t the issue. Or at least they didn’t cause the injury...”

         Taking a sip from his mug of cocoa, Tadashi frowned in concern, but refrained from commenting. His aunt’s brows were furrowed in thought, so it wasn’t likely she was done saying what she wanted to.

         “And if I’m right, “ Aunt Cass looked over at Tadashi, rolling her mug between her hands as Mochi leaped from her lap to go explore. “I’ll have something I’ll need to talk to you and Hiro about later. I won’t overload him with questions right off the bat, but I’m almost positive...”

         When his aunt trailed off again, Tadashi began to mimic her movements, shifting his mug in his hands, watching the dark liquid move around inside. She was being frustratingly vague, which she was prone to do when there was a lot on her mind, or when she wasn’t sure about something.

         “But you boys haven’t...” She shook her head, biting the tip of her thumb. “I haven’t noticed anything that could...”

         Tadashi’s confusion only grew. She wasn’t making any _sense_. Aunt Cass noticed his expression and smiled apologetically.

         “It’s nothing to worry about, not for now.” She took another sip of her drink. “I mainly wanted to thank you for your help last night. With Hiro entering this rebellious stage of his, I can certainly use it.”

         “At least he had the brains to come home.” Tadashi rubbed at the back of his neck, deciding that she’d tell him what she meant when she was ready. “The roads were pretty bad on the way back, and if he _had_ still been out, it would have been much worse.”

_Not to mention trying to transport both Hiro and Kyouji on the bike would have been a trick. And neither could have been left behind, not with the weather the way it was.  If only there were a way to keep Hiro from leaving in the first place..._

         Aunt Cass nodded, smiling sadly. “We got lucky. But, Tadashi, honey, listen to me.”

         Tadashi focused his full attention on his guardian, curious.

         “If something like this happens again, where it becomes too dangerous... whether you know where Hiro is or not, come home. I’d rather at least _one_ of you be guaranteed safe.” The night before had been nerve-wracking in the very least. If her nephew’s phone hadn’t been charged, or he hadn’t noticed it over the noise of the weather, he might not have been _able_ to come back.

         “What?” Tadashi felt equal parts shocked and indignant. “That’s not an option! You can’t just leave someone _behind_!”

         “I’m not saying you shouldn’t try, but sometimes...” Cass took a steadying breath. “Sometimes it’s better. You’re both my boys. Neither of you is more important than the other, and I’d never ask one of you to risk yourself for the uncertain wellbeing of the other.”

         “I... okay, Aunt Cass...“ He already knew he’d not keep that promise. If it came down to it, he’d do _whatever_ he could, for Hiro, or for anyone else. Who was he to think his life was any more valuable than someone else’s?

         “I mean it, Tadashi.” She raised an eyebrow at him, and when he nodded, dropped the topic. “Well... I won’t hold you here any longer, I’m sure there are projects just demanding your attention, especially with all of the free time now on your hands.”

         “Yeah,” Tadashi grinned, glad for the change in subject. “I just have to pick which one I want to do for the showcase. I need to decide soon, but there are so many ideas...” He stood, finishing off his mug of cocoa and making his way back upstairs and depositing his cup in the kitchen.

            Mochi ambled back into the room, hopping back up to Cass with some small difficulty, having finished whatever she’d left in such a hurry to do. Petting the curled up cat in her lap, Aunt Cass sighed, wondering at what went through that boy’s head. She regretted the responsibility he had put on himself so early on, when she’d been first figuring out the whole ‘parenting’ thing. Tadashi had had to grow up too fast...

* * *

 

         By the time Tadashi had made it back to the room, Kyouji was already there, sitting by the foot of Hiro’s bed silently as Hiro worked on his own project, both teenagers oblivious to the world around them. Kyouji stared off into space, seemingly content to not do anything, to simply exist. Droplets of water dripped from the tips of his hair, trailing down his neck and quickly being absorbed by the fabric of Hiro’s jacket. He shivered slightly, the only movement Tadashi had seen him make since he’d entered the room.  

         Tadashi made his way over to his and Hiro’s shared bathroom, pulling a small towel from the cupboard and taking it to Kyouji. He crouched down and held it out to him, figuring tossing it to him like he did with Hiro might not be the best idea.

         “Hey.”

         Kyouji looked up when he was addressed, startled to see him so close.

         Tadashi smiled reassuringly, even as he wondered why he hadn’t taken the towel yet. “It’s not the warmest in here, and wet hair probably isn’t helping. Did you not find one down there, or-“

          “I did, it just didn’t dry all the way. It’s fine.” Kyouji had dried quickly to avoid the chill, and his hair had felt mostly dry before. “No need to get that one dirty...”

         “It’s just a towel.” Tadashi chuckled as Kyouji finally accepted it, drying his hair roughly and breaking eye contact. Hiro glanced over momentarily, quickly losing interest and returning to the gadget in his hands.

         After a moment of semi-awkward silence, Tadashi wandered back towards the sectioned off area. He pulled tubes of blue paper from beside, under, and behind his bed, taking them to the space he still considered his, even if it wasn’t behind the screen he’d insisted be put in years earlier. He began to lay them out side by side, flattening the blue sheets in order to see all of them at once to make his decision.

         After a few moments of Kyouji sitting quietly, staring at the towel in his hands, Tadashi cleared his throat and waved him over. It might be good to have someone to bounce ideas off of while Hiro was busy. Curious about the odd papers, Kyouji made his way over, leaving the now folded towel on the floor.

            “What is all this?” Kyouji was perched just outside the ring of blueprints, not wanting to accidentally step on any of them.

            “They’re plans for projects I’m trying to decide between for the showcase next year.” Tadashi looked between two of the sheets, rolling one up and discarding it to the side, where a couple others lay from previous purges. “I need to decide now so that I have time to work on it, instead of dividing my time between multiple things. That just... doesn’t work for me.”

            Tilting his head to get a better look at one of the sketches, Kyouji tried to continue the conversation, even though he was still clueless as to what was going on. “Can’t you just try the next year, if you run out of time?”

            Tadashi laughed lightly as he rolled up and set aside another sheet. “Only if I want to wait another year to go to college. The showcase is like an entrance exam, and while you _could_ get in without entering, it’s nearly impossible.”

            “Oh.”

            Kyouji had long since accepted that college wasn’t going to happen for him... in fact, he had no idea what he would do after high school, or earlier if push came to shove. If he could barely keep his school attendance up, what hope did he have for holding a job, let alone getting one? He’d taken things before, but would that even sustain him? He’d still need a roof over his head.

         He blinked a couple of times to clear his thoughts, as it wasn’t a good time to ‘zone out’. Looking back at the particular sheet of paper, Kyouji was still trying to figure out the purpose of the item depicted. The writing was all chicken scratch. At least now he had something to talk about.

         “What’s this one?” Kyouji pointed to the outline of a large... robot? It didn’t look like it would be good for much.

         “Hm?” Tadashi looked up from the plan currently in his hand. “Oh, that’s a blueprint of something I’m definitely going to do, but...” He leaned down, gathering it into his hands hesitantly, before rolling it up as well. “It’ll take more time than I have before the showcase. The coding alone will take ages, and even if the program is right, the bot has to respond appropriately, as well as build on the base code.”

         “Does it have to be perfect when you show it?” That sounded like a lot to expect to Kyouji, but maybe it was just because school hadn’t asked very much of him before.

         Tadashi chuckled, shaking his head. “No, but it needs to _function_. There just isn’t enough time. I’ve got most of the plan, but...” He smiled sadly. “Maybe Hiro could do it, but I know my limits.”

         Kyouji didn’t understand what Hiro had to do with it.

         “Well, what’ll it do?” Kyouji didn’t want to just leave it there; he wanted to _know_ now.

         “When it’s finished, it’ll be able to treat patients, like a nurse would. It’ll scan and diagnose injuries and illnesses, and I bet I can make it so that it could carry people, even up to 500 pounds!” Tadashi’s face lit up as he talked about the robot, as he began to detail different design features he was debating between.

         When he finished explaining, he looked up at Kyouji as if he was expecting intelligent feedback... which Kyouji had no idea how to give. He knew next to nothing about robots outside of their common use in backstreet fighting, and even then he’d never handled one. They were way too expensive. And surprisingly fragile.

         “Wouldn’t that replace the nurses, then?”

         Tadashi looked up in surprise. “Hmm?”

         “Well,” Kyouji twisted his fingers together, glancing off to the side as he thought. “If the hospital can choose between a robot that is always there that they don’t have to pay, and a human, wouldn’t they choose the robot?”

         “Well, first off, the robot wouldn’t be able to do _everything._ ” Tadashi shook his head, unfurling the paper again as a visual reference. “It’s not supposed to do things that require a lot of precision, and people will still want a human touch in their care, so nurses wouldn’t become obsolete. If anything, this would make their job easier, and they can spend more time with the patient themselves, rather than worry about getting the record of symptoms down. The scanner, if I can get it to work, would reduce misdiagnoses, and treatment would become the primary concern, rather than waste time trying to figure out what was wrong.” He chuckled. “On top of that, I don’t imagine the selling price could be very cheap, with what will go into making it. It’d still be cheaper in the long run to hire human nurses as a whole.”

         “Oh.” Kyouji nodded, even as another concern popped in his head. “Um, how thorough would the scan be? Would people get a choice, or-?”

         Tadashi tilted his head in confusion. “They could, but people who go to the doctor usually are looked over anyway for standard things, depending on what they are in for. It’s part of why patient confidentiality is such a big thing, you know? For the robot, the primary user, the doctor in this case, would be the only one who gets access to it.”

         “But if it’s a robot, can’t someone just go in and... take it?”

         Tadashi chuckled. “It wouldn’t be that easy, it’d be encrypted, and probably safer than electronic records they already use. Unless someone is given the key, they will find nothing but nonsense.”

         “Hm. That does sound like a lot of work.” Kyouji didn’t think a single person _could_ design all of that.

         “Yeah...” Tadashi looked at the paper again, running a thumb over some of the writing along the edge. The idea was growing on him, and this particular project was one that he really felt called to do. “But you know, it might be worth it, to push for it to be functional by then. Even just the scanner itself might be enough, if paired with the _idea_ of what it would be a part of.”

         “How are you going to get all of that information _in_ it?” Kyouji rocked back off of his heels, sitting properly. “I mean, I assume you don’t know all of that? Or do you?”

         “No, no.” Tadashi laughed, shaking his head. “I’ll have to do a lot of research and stuff to build the algorithms. And maybe make it so that it can learn on its own, who knows?”

         Tadashi carefully rolled up the remaining blueprints and deposited them in the space under his computer, before grabbing a fresh notebook to jot down his thoughts. The room once again lapsed into silence.

* * *

 

         Kyouji watched Tadashi as he filled page after page with ideas and lists of... who knows, he couldn’t read it from where he was sitting. He focused on the blueprint that was held open by small paperweights on the corners, consisting of a calculator, a stapler, the edge of a rather large book, and a solved rubix cube. There were three outlines of variations of the robot, with slightly different heads and structures. They all looked a little creepy to him, but maybe it was the idea of something looking at you and suddenly being able to know _everything_.

         Frowning, his train of thought followed that path again. Why hadn’t the night before been brought up? It was like anything strange had been forgotten, or put on the backburner, and to be honest, the anticlimactic atmosphere put Kyouji on edge. It shouldn’t have been that easy. Nothing was.

         He glanced over when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. The sound echoed through the room, but neither brother responded to it, unconcerned with her approach. _Why didn’t they-_

         “You boys want anything for lunch?” The kind lady leaned against the wall, her cat just then reaching the top of the stairs before wandering out to sniff at Hiro’s ankle.

_Already?_ Kyouji caught sight of the giant clock on the wall, and he supposed it could pass for mealtime depending on the person. He still felt slightly bloated from breakfast, and he didn’t want to make himself sick and lose what he already had in him, but it felt off to turn down food that was offered to him.

         Tadashi finished a few strokes on a sketch in the notebook before looking up. “Maybe a little later? We did sleep in, after all.”

_Okay, so it’s not just me._

         She nodded. “Alright then. Don’t get too caught up in your work. Have you decided on a project?”

         “Yeah!” Tadashi perked up, hurrying over to her with the notebook, pointing at the various sketches. “I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to do enough for it to count, but I think if I just get the scanner down, I can work on the rest if I get in.”

         “I’m sure it’ll be fantastic!” She gave him a quick hug, taking a closer look at the journal. “Ah, I’m so proud of you!”

         “But I haven’t done anything yet.” Tadashi’s grin nearly split his face at the praise, regardless.

         “ _This_ is nothing?” Gesturing at the notebook, the woman, whose name Kyouji had completely forgotten, laughed and ruffled Tadashi’s hair, nudging his head away as she did so. “Then I suppose you better get to work, genius. I can’t imagine how much would count as _something_.”

         Tadashi, with a permanent grin on his face, curled up in a dark blue chair further in the room, scribbling in the book with renewed vigor. Kyouji shifted where he sat, picking at the edge of the jacket’s sleeve, feeling very out of place.

         “Good morning, Kyouji.” The lady smiled over at him, watching the cat approach him and inspect the new person in the house. “Were you able to sleep well? The boys complain about the cold in this house, but were you at least comfortable?”

         “Oh, um, yes ma’am.” Kyouji hadn’t expected to be addressed, and shied away from the giant calico’s sniffing, while trying to keep the dream from resurfacing in his mind. _Ms. Cass. That’s her name._ “I’m fine, thanks.”

         “Alright, let me know if you need anything.” Ms. Cass waved behind her, calling the cat – _Mochi-_ to follow her back downstairs.

         When she was gone, the room lapsed into quietness again, and Kyouji began to fold his fingers together.

         “Your mom’s really nice.” Kyouji hadn’t meant to say it, but there wasn’t really a reason not to. Except, maybe there was, as the other people in the room stopped what they were doing, the sudden silence weighing down on him.

         Hiro looked over at him for the second time since he entered the room, and Kyouji didn’t know what he’d done to deserve the malice in his gaze.

         “W-what?” Kyouji couldn’t keep eye contact, dropping his eyes to the hard wood floor.

         “She’s not our _mom._ ” Hiro’s chair skidded across the floor a short distance, and Kyouji flinched, tightening his hands into fists, but not looking up.

         “Oh. I-I’m sorry. I-“ _Idiot, didn’t Tadashi refer to her as ‘aunt’ last night? Can’t you remember anything?_

         Kyouji startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder, but it remained gentle. He kept his gaze down as Tadashi spoke.

         “It’s fine, Kyouji. You didn’t know.”

_Should have._

         “I’m sorry.”

         Hiro tsked in annoyance from across the room. “Why do you keep _apologizing?_ _You_ didn’t do anything. You couldn’t have done anything, you’d have been like, four.”

_Why so specif- oh. No one would give these two up... and if she’s their aunt- their parents are more than likely... great job..._

         “Sorry.”

         “Stop saying sorry!” Hiro raised his voice, clearly agitated.

         Kyouji stilled, biting his lip to stop another apology.

         “ _Hiro.”_ Now Tadashi was scolding him. Kyouji hadn’t meant to get him in trouble, why was he mad at Hiro now?

         “ _What?”_ Hiro’s tone set Kyouji’s teeth on edge. _He shouldn’t talk to him like that, he shouldn’t, he should apologize-_ “I’m sick of people apologizing whenever they find out! It was ages ago, and they had nothing to do with it, so why would it even _matter_?”

         “That does _not_ give you the right to yell at him.” Tadashi was clearly angry, but his tone was controlled, making Hiro’s ranting seem childish. There was a moment of silence. “Hiro.”

         Hiro sighed, “ _Fine_ , I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

         Kyouji shook his head. “It’s fine.” _I should have been more careful._

         “That’s not the- are you bleeding?” Tadashi took a hold of Kyouji’s chin to get a better look.

         “No!” Kyouji jerked away, not having realized he’d bitten into his lip too hard earlier. He lifted a hand to cover his mouth. His blood was bad, these nice people shouldn’t touch it, they’d die and it’d be _his_ fault. “No, it’s- I-I’ll be right back.”

         Kyouji hastened to his feet, making his way past the shocked brothers, who did nothing to stop him, and down the stairs. When he got to the downstairs bathroom, he rinsed his hand thoroughly before cupping water in his palms and holding it against his stinging lip, repeating this until it stopped bleeding. He waited a little longer just to make _sure_ the bleeding had stopped before leaving the bathroom. He hadn’t realized Ms. Cass had been relaxing in the living room when he’d come down the stairs.

         “Kyouji?” She slipped a small bookmark into the pages of the novel in her hands, setting it down on the table. “Is everything alright?”

         “Yes, Ms. Cass.”

         “Okay...” She didn’t look entirely convinced, but smiled anyway, standing. “While you’re down here, would you like some something to eat? If we keep putting it off, it’ll be dinner time before anyone in this house gets something.”

         Kyouji hesitated, but nodded, not wanting to refuse the offer too much. He glanced at the stairs. Did he need to go get them?

         Making her way towards the kitchen area, Ms. Cass hummed. “They’ll be down when they’re ready, or when they realize they’re hungry. Trying to get them away from one of their projects is like pulling teeth.”

         “Okay.” Kyouji pulled out on of the stools at the counter, folding his hands in his lap, uncertain of what to do.

         “So, what would you like? We’ve got the stuff to make just about anything, but if you’re in the mood for lobster thermidor, I’m afraid you’re out of luck.”

         “I don’t know... something light? And warm?” Kyouji wasn’t sure what dishes were the norm in a household like this.

         “Alright then, soup or solid?”

         “Erm...” Kyouji considered it, and liquid might go down and stay down easier. “Soup? Please.”

         “A light soup, then. Would chicken noodle be okay? I can go easy on the noodles if they might be too much.”

         “I- yes that’d be fine.” Kyouji couldn’t figure out why she was being so nice, especially considering what she knew... He sat there quietly as she bustled around the kitchen, zoning out until the click of a bowl being placed in front of him snapped him out of his daze. “Thank you.”

         The soup smelled amazing, and his stomach tightened even as he reminded himself that he needed to take it slow, he’d been eating a lot recently and it would come back to bite him.

         “Kyouji...”

         He looked up, seeing a concerned expression on Ms. Cass’s face as she took a seat on one of the other stools.

         “Would it be alright if I asked you some questions?”

         ...

          _Oh._

 

_._

_._

_._

"About what?"

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aunt Cass, what are you on about?

**Author's Note:**

> I'll continue this as it comes to me.


End file.
